Bobby Rotin
by Msmelanie
Summary: Robbie Rotten centered story. One-shot. Nature verses Nurture. Sometimes villains aren't born, they are created...


Disclaimer: I do not own Lazytown. This fic is for entertainment purposes only and no profit is made from this fiction. Critiques are appreciated but please do not flame. I am trying to improve, but flamers do not help.

If you like this story and would like to do more with it, please give original credit to me and this story. Thank you.

* * *

Bobby Rotin

Sometimes villains are not born, they are created...

"Bobby! Bobby!"

Bobby looked away from his television and at his living room window. He had been a bit lazy that day and had been hoping something would help get him out of the funk he was in. He looked back and flipped channels on the TV. His mother and father were having issues again over the phone while he just sat around. Sometimes he had wished he had a little brother to play with. His gloomy demeanor almost disappeared instantly as he looked back at his window.

There waving back at him was his good friend Sportacus. Dressed in his usual number one baseball shirt, Sportacus tilted his blue denim cap toward Bobby and smiled his one of a kind friendly smile. It was impossible for anyone to resist his old playful charisma. Any kids in the neighborhood Bobby even played with, he had met through his friend. Sportacus' talent for having a bubbly personality was something Bobby wished he could have had. Bobby waved back eagerly, knowing his time relentlessly going through the channels would soon end.

Like a rocket he darted off the couch, he was more than ready for a baseball game. Right before he hit the door, he stopped and looked in the mirror briefly. His candy cane striped shirt had low-cut sleeves and his denim overalls looked pretty good. Something had been missing though as he reached into his overalls' front pocket. "My cap?" Bobby glanced around the couch and around a small endtable in the room. He had to have his cap, it was the only thing his father ever bothered to buy him. It had a giant smile face with a funny mustache on the front, and he never played without it. Bobby knew he had to move fast though, Sportacus was not someone who waited around all day.

"Mom? Mom?" Bobby ran to the kitchen and saw his mother on the telephone, twirling the chord in an angry fashion. He glanced around hoping he wouldn't have to interrupt her. He looked around the table eagerly, he didn't have much time before Sportacus would take off and go somewhere else. "There!" Bobby nabbed the hat off of one of the dinner chairs. Luck had been even more on his side as he grabbed his baseball that had been right beside it.

"Wait up!" Bobby wasted no time and shoved his red smiley mustache cap on backwards as he ran out the back door. He moved swiftly to the front but Sportacus had gone to pick up another friend to play with. Feeling the sunshine on his skin, Bobby threw the baseball in the air and caught it. It would either be going back in to watch television or go hunt for his friend.

Skelly Town was not a big town, and it hadn't taken long before he spotted Sportacus shooting hoops with a new neighborhood girl. He tossed his baseball up and down in the air, deciding if he really wanted to intrude or not. If Sportacus had been playing with another local, he would have come over with no sweat, but new people weren't Bobby's favorites. He wasn't the best at making friends or making first moves, but he noticed the look in his friend's eye and knew he had no choice as Sportacus ran over to him.

"Bobby! You made it. There's a new girl in town, you should come and meet her."

"Do I have to?" Bobby watched as his friend grabbed his arm and yanked him over to her. "I don't like meeting new people Sportacus."

"Come on Bobby." Sportacus smiled at him. "She is very friendly, and she lives right next door to you."

"So? Can't we play baseball instead? Just you and me?" Bobby got his answer as his friend introduced him to the new girl. Her name had been Flower and her dad worked at the local hardware store. He listened as she went on about herself, but once she asked the ultimate question, the easiness was over. Forget feeling a little uncomfortable, now Bobby just wanted to run.

"So? What does your mom and dad do?"

Bobby looked over at Sportacus then down the street. He didn't have much choice, his friend was more athletic than him and he'd just drag him back. "My mom works at a bakery." He looked at the ground and rubbed his foot across it. "My dad...." Bobby felt relieved as Sportacus interrupted with a suggestion of a basketball game. At least his friend was kind enough to get him out of that dilemma gracefully. No one in Skelly Town talked about Bobby Rotin's father, at least not in a good way. Bobby himself hardly understood what was up with him, but as long as his mother worked and tolerated his dad, he never thought he'd have a thing to worry about.

Sadly, he was wrong.

* * *

"Bobby honey, get up!"

Bobby felt himself being shaken awake and yanked out of his bed. One minute he was dreaming peacefully and the next he was standing next to his bed in his red and purple pajamas. A part of him wanted to ask what was going on, but as he stared at the fear and agitation in his mother's eyes, he knew he didn't have to ask.

"Bobby."

Bobby remained quiet as he saw something shimmer in his mother's eyes. She was never one to get wrapped up in a serious situation for too long, and was usually in a good mood until his father called. Her eyes were unsteady and he had a feeling she had been crying. "Momma?"

"Your dad's been missing for some time Bobby." Mrs. Botin pushed her hand through her frizzed brunette hair. "Honey, I'm sorry. I can't lie anymore. You're father left us some time ago, and I can't make the money to stay here. I know he's in a town called Lazytown somewhere, and I'm going to find him. Our time is getting close and we have to be out of this house soon."

"Were losing our house? Lazytown?" Bobby gulped and felt a chill in the air. "Where do we stay?"

"Bobby, you're getting to be a big boy." Mrs. Rotin tried to convince him as she placed her coat on one hand at a time. "We will lose our house yes, but we shouldn't have to lose everything. By the time we find your father, there is no way we'll be able to get any of our things back once that key is returned. I can't afford a U-haul and I wouldn't know where to take everything, so I called the owner and said we moved out today." She stood up straight and wrapped her scarf around her. "There is plenty of canned food including spam, and if you can become sneaky, you can get yourself more food. I'll be back within a week."

"What?" Bobby was trying to understand. "You're leaving me?"

"You're forgetful father is too busy playing around Bobby!" His mother yelled at him, relieving herself of some of her own stress. "Men his age shouldn't leave their home and run around playing stupid games in stupid costumes! He has the money to at least get us an apartment, and by golly if that yoohoo doesn't have it..." She slipped her left glove on. "I'll return and we'll gather up all our things. The owner is busy and he shouldn't show up for about a month so don't worry about him." She looked over at Bobby and sighed. "Your 11 Bobby, and it's time you grew up." She slipped her right glove on even more fiercely. "If you don't, you'll end up just like your father." She took a deep breath. "Don't look out the window. Don't let your friends see you, don't answer the door, don't let anyone think you are here at all. Bobby." Her voice became softer. "I do want to take you honey but it's dangerous. Lazytown is pretty far so no one can pin anything on your father when he gets caught in his playing. This is the best place for you, I hope you understand that." She opened the front door and looked at her son, still dressed in his purple and red pajamas. "I'd save those, they'll shut the heat and electricity off soon. I'll return though honey, I promise! Just one week, that's all." Her lip trembled slightly. "Bobby, this is all I know to do. Don't get caught, please! You're eleven, and...they'll take you away for good." She tried to hold back her own tear as she choked out her final goodbye. "I love you honey, take care!"

Bobby watched in disbelief as his mother, his only real parent that ever took care of him, left out the door and locked it.

* * *

'This is ridiculous.' Bobby rubbed his shoulders as he snuck a quick glance out his bedroom window. Sportacus was playing with some of the local kids again. 'Playing again. Doesn't even know I'm here.' He looked away knowing that he could not get caught. He moved over to the kitchen and dug through the bottom drawer. His mother had been gone a whole two weeks and he'd eaten everything in the house. There was only one option left.

He looked cautiously out the back door to make sure no one saw him, then made a run for it to the cellar. Inside he found his mother's extra baking supplies. Eggs, flour, sugar, everything he needed. He grabbed a pile of what he could carry and made a run back to his house. He locked the door as he felt his heart beating extra fast. "Okay." He sighed as he looked at the ingredients. There was no real food left, he had no choice but to learn how to bake. He had watched his mother several times, with a little practice he should be able to do it.

He went over to the stove and turned it on, when he suddenly remember there was no electricity or gas. "Dangit!" He banged his hand on the stove and heard his tummy growl. "I'm hungry." He stole another quick glance outside and saw Sportacus eating an apple. "If only the apple tree was near here." He went back to the flour and looked at it. How could he bake without power? "I've got to sneak in somewhere and get food, but how? I'm 11 years old!" He heard the voice of his friend laughing outside. "Great for him. He can laugh and play, while I starve and just stay in here!" He tried to hold his tears back. Who would want to live in a house everyday without even being able to go outside for two seconds?

Bobby heard his tummy growl again. A part of him wanted to give up, run up to his old friend and beg for that apple. If he did that though, everyone would know his family didn't move and his mom would lose everything, including custody of him. 'It wasn't her fault. She couldn't take me who knows where to look for my dumb father! Dangit I'm hungry though.' He felt the pain in his tummy increase.

Bobby backed further away from the door when he realized he had been stepping too close to it. 'Sportacus. I really need some help.' Oh, what could his friend do anyhow? He turned back away and went back to the flour. "I'm out of food and I need to eat." There was only one thing left to do, whether he liked it or not. He grabbed his best toys and shoved them into a trash sack, and then he went back and tried to shove clothes in. "Won't fit." It was useless. He took his toys out and shoved his clothes into the trash sack. He looked around for his hat and squished it to the top, it was one thing he couldn't leave behind. He waited until the coast was clear until he came out, but he couldn't help but dwell on how good the sunshine and fresh air felt on him. Bobby snapped back to reality soon enough and locked the door behind him.

It was time to leave his house and move on to where his mother worked: The bakery.

* * *

Hiding in the shadows didn't come naturally but Bobby did the best he could as he watched his mothers co-workers bake in the distance. He had been living in the back of the bakery for four weeks. There was nothing but one seat and small table in the back the others were supposed to use if they needed more room to knead extra dough. Since Skelly Town was not the biggest town though, no one had sat in the extra space for years. Bags of extra flour were stored in the back, but no one ever went back there since there was always plenty of flour up front. The space felt constricted and made Bobby feel claustrophobic at first. Old pans, pots and other useless utensils that should have been thrown away hung lifelessly around him, and made it hard to move without making metal jingle.

It was a good thing Bobby brought none of his toys after all, there was no room to play with them. The only thing he felt fortunate about was that he was still a small kid and he could move around without having to bend over. The air was also nice and even though it was stale, it did smell of cookies, cakes and an assortment of sweets.

All day long he stayed in the simple chair with the table in the back, surrounded by darkness and flour. The time passed by slow and he felt more depressed each day. As time went by though, he found sleeping through the day made what he had to endure easier. When his biological clock fixed itself to another way of living, the treacherous hunting for a morsel during the day had been put to an end. Now after everyone left the bakery for the night, Bobby Rotin would come out to bake something to eat. He baked large cakes and ate as much as he could in one setting because by morning the workers would be back and he would not get another bite to eat until after dark again. He had tried to keep cakes on hand next to him towards the back, but sometimes workers did go back there for an extra baking utensil and the only place to hide barely fit Bobby, let alone a huge piece of cake.

* * *

"Five donuts please but none for me! I like sports candy, but I'm treating my friends."

Friends. A word Bobby hadn't heard in a long time. In Sportacus' voice there was nothing but joy, no sorrow at all. 'Why should he feel sorry? His friend just moved away one night, but he just made five more! He's even treating them!' Bobby crossed his arms feeling a sense of anger in his heart. Not one person in Skelly Town had ever given a damn about him, not even his only friend! Bobby was starving everyday, sitting still and sleeping to pass the time away and no one cared. The only thing he ever had to look forward to was his sweet victorious cakes at night. 'Even mother never came back. What? Stop that!' The thought had already entered his mind though. She had said one week and it had been six. Six! 'If I get caught now, it wouldn't matter. She's not coming back. No one's coming back for me.' If he came out, would the town take pity on him? Or would they throw him into an orphanage?

* * *

As the months passed by, the bakery just became a way of life. During nighttime he ate, but during the day he slept. Well tried, often enough he was jarred awake by noises of other kids playing outside. When he first came to the bakery he lied awake and imagined he was playing with those kids. As time went by though, the sounds were no longer a small form of happiness but had become a sense of torture. A wicked sound that was teasing and abusive. All he wanted to do was sleep so he could have time to himself at night to move around and talk as if he were human again. Instead, the atrocious high-pitched squeals of bratty kids kept him awake.

When he was driven so awake that he couldn't sleep, he had learned how to start spying among the workers to learn about what was going on in the town. He learned about new buildings, new teachers, even about their new pets. So far, it had been an average day, and since brats outside woke him up, he had decided to steal a cookie when no one was looking. He enjoyed the sweet chocolate taste and licked his lips at it's extra gooiness. Unfortunately the taste in his mouth would become bitter as he learned the darkest news of it all.

"Hey did you know Robert Rotin stopped by yesterday at the police office? He pretended to be a policeman. What a jerk! They found out and he was taken away. He kept claiming he was trying to find out about the mysterious disappearance of his kid. Ha ha! Someone should have just said he left for good to get away from him. That guy was totally rotten, never did anything but goof around! Hardly a father to...oh what was his kid's' name? Bobby? Robby? Oh whatever, point is they let him go and he's off to some place called Lazytown to see if he can find him."

'Lazytown?' Bobby ducked down further trying to hear more.

"You know, that's mean. Robert Rotin may not be the best father, but you shouldn't talk about him like that. His wife was murdered while she hitchhiked and his kid had been kidnapped! Show a little respect."

Bobby froze. He didn't move, he didn't even breathe. His heart beated slower as he tried to put together what the men were saying. His mother was dead? She was gone for good? His head became dizzy and he closed his eyes as he felt his body become very heavy. It became like an anvil and he could not keep himself up. He slid slowly to the ground as he tried to wrap his mind around it. "...momma..." The only one who cared. He choked as he remember the harsh words he had used when he thought of her. He should have known something had gone wrong, she said one week. One week! She loved him, she was the only one who loved him and she was gone. She was gone...

Bobby bent all the way down and covered his head, causing his hat to fall off. His fists became hard and squashed the cookie in his hand. The gooiness of the cookie slid like an evil ooze out of his hands and fell into a mushy lump on his hat. Coming back to reality, Bobby didn't know what to do except run. He covered his mouth and ran toward the back to safety as he tried not to scream. Safety, the darkness was where he didn't have to face the news. He didn't have to face the world alone, if he hid from it. He went as far back as he could, trying not to make noise on the way there. He was too distraught from the news though and ended up tripping over some baking bowls and hitting some utensils laying around.

It didn't matter. Bobby didn't even care when the bakers opened the back and found him.

* * *

"What is he doing here? I thought he was kidnapped!"

"He smells horrible, how long was he there?"

"Poor dear, he is completely out of it."

Bobby had no words as everyone pitied him and questioned him about what had happened. Everyone in Skelly town showed up in the middle of the streets as they all stared at the presumed-to-be kidnapped boy. He didn't care though, did not even meet their eyes. Not in shyness though, not anymore. He did not want to see anyone, talk to anyone, he didn't want anything to do with the outside world anymore.

"Bobby?"

Bobby turned around and saw Sportacus. He didn't know what to say to anyone, least of all him but Sportacus was one of his only friends. If he didn't at least look at him, he didn't know what he would do. Now that he knew he existed, Sportacus was the only person who would feel like family now. His mother was gone and his father never had any concern for him, except for stopping by to play every once in awhile. He looked down at the cap his father had given him. It was covered in oozy cookie, but he didn't care as he shoved it into his overalls.

"You were back there? I-I..." Sportacus stuttered. "I always thought I heard something." He scratched his head. "I live behind the bakery and I could have sworn I heard you but I thought I was imagining things. You were there?"

Bobby's stare turned into that of surprise. He knew? Then he glared at him with vengeance in his eyes. He knew! He was the last one left he'd ever consider a sense of family, and he never even looked for him! Never told anyone he suspected something?! He turned his attention back to the ground as his expression became as snarling as a Tiger's. There was no one who had cared after all, not even a little! He refused to give his friend any words of comfort. Sportacus had known, he had known?!

"I'm sorry! I should have looked." Sportacus looked at the ground, for once not looking very happy at all. "I'm sorry my friend. I should have looked. Bobby?"

Bobby refused to look back at him. He didn't want to hear anything, least of all from him. He wanted to be alone and he wanted it to be quiet, he wanted the whole world to just leave him alone.

"I'm sorry I couldn't help you." Sportacus said from behind Bobby. "I'll never let it happen again. I'll make it up somehow!"

"Doesn't matter." Bobby's voice was hoarse from only talking to himself a little bit at night. "You never saved me."

"Bobby." Sportacus gave up talking to his friend. Bobby was no longer shy, he was cold. Bobby didn't want anything to do with him and he knew it. All because he had never said anything about the sounds he heard. All because he never bothered to look! That'd never happen again, never happen again! He may have messed up Bobby's life, but he would never mess up again. He'd become a hero even! He'd become a hero and make sure he was always there when someone needed him from then on.

* * *

"Hm. Lazytown." Bobby looked around from his left to his right. Odd name but the place didn't seem lazy. It had taken a long time to reach the town but there was no time for rest. His deadbeat father was the only thing standing in between him and an orphanage, and when he was finally discovered, they knew where they had to send him. After all, no one could ever reach Robert Rotin, but Lazytown was a small town.

Bobby walked along the streets and heard the kids laughing around him. He sneered his usual shy exterior now being overridden by annoyance and hatred. The sound of playing, something he was not allowed to do for many months had echoed throughout the back of the bakery and laughter was something he could not stand now.

"Hey, you wanna play?"

Bobby sneered extra hard at the boy holding a basketball. He held a slight resemblance to his old friend Sportacus. The one who let him live in a house without outdoor air, eat out of cans, freeze, starve in the back of a bakery. Yeah, that friend. "I hate playing! Leave me alone!" He turned back and looked around the town. His father had a tendency to play underground since there was more he could do down there. It didn't take very long before he saw a huge pipe entrance. He went into it and landed with a small thunk on the floor. In the past, he would have laughed about it, but he had no room or want for laughter in his life anymore. He turned around and saw four disguises. His fathers 'tubes' as he called them. He moved around and stared at the ridiculous outfits. Conning and tricking people, just being nosy about everything was what his father lived for. Robert Rotin wanted to experience everything in life, from being treated like a rock singer to everyone asking him for advice as a medical doctor. "Rotten."

He turned away and waited in an orange arm chair. He groaned as he heard the sounds of kid's playing above him again. "Noisy kids!" He covered his ear but it was just no use. Nothing but noisy echoes filled the room. "I hate this! I hate playing!" He kicked one of his father's beach balls out of the way. "I hate noise! I hate everything!" He stomped his foot. "I hate it all."

Then a thought popped into his head. A simple thought that seemed to actually make him smirk. A feeling of happiness overcame him as he realized what it was that would make him happy. To make everyone else understand what he had suffered through. His happiness faded away though, no one would ever know what it was like. Nothing he could do could ever bring anyone to understand what he had gone through. He held his hands over his ears as the noise and laughter from outside echoed even more. "Be quiet! Quiet, quiet, quiet!" He looked angrily above him and pointed to the ceiling. "You'll never went through what I had to, but I will at least make you all shut up if I have to stay here!"

* * *

Two days passed with no sign of Bobby Rotin's father in sight. If he could not be found, the orphanage would be next on his list. "I've survived through all this. I'm not going down because I can't find that father of mine. That stupid fool! He's the reason mom hitchhiked." He glared angrily at the tubes in front of him. "He's the reason she's gone. He's the reason I spent months surviving in a bakery!" He clenched his fists tight. "All he wanted to do was play, play, play! All everyone wants to do is play, play, play!"

He hit the tube not caring how bad the pain hurt his hand. "I won't go back." He looked around himself, then back at the tube. He saw his reflection in it. The residents of Skelly Town had helped given him a much-needed bath and fresh clothes, but the boy there no longer was the same boy. He stared at part of the happy face hanging out of the top pocket of his overalls. He took out his treasured hat and couldn't help but feel resentment for it. It's happy face, it's cute mustache, it's playfulness! He threw it on the ground and stomped on it repeatedly. "If Robert Rotin returns, he'll never play again! In fact, no one will ever play again!" He went over to an odd looking musical machine and pressed some buttons. He felt himself twirl around and found himself in the policeman's uniform that used to be in the tube in front of him.

Bobby laughed evilly, not able to help himself. Finally, he felt a sense of joy in his heart. Everyone would pay. He twisted his billyclub around his finger and headed up to the surface. Even if that father of his never did come back, as he suspected would be the case, he'd still pay. His fathers dumb highjinx on the town would now be over. "Bobby Rotin will make sure this town is never playing again!"

He smirked dastardly as he saw three little girls playing jump rope. "Halt!" He held his hands out to them. "Stop playing or I will place you under arrest! Playing is not allowed in Lazytown!"

"What?" One of the girls looked at him curiously. "Are you serious? You're pretty short, are you sure playing isn't allowed? What's your name, sir?"

Bobby brought his feet together and held his chest proud. It was the only thing he ever picked up from his father that did him any good. "Do you have a police badge?" He lifted his jacket and presented the fake badge on it. "Did you go to the academy? Do you dream about correcting bad behavior every waking moment? Hmmm?"

"Uhh..." The little girl shook her head. "No?"

"Then listen to me!" Bobby demanded. "There is no playing in Lazytown! Now go home!" He watched with pride as the jump rope was left in the middle of the road and the girls ran home. He bent down and picked up the object. In a way, it was a great trophy. One of the many he was sure to collect from the children as he turned Lazytown into a real lazy town.

As the days went by, Bobby became more proficient with the disguises, except for one thing: His name. Bobby Rotin was not the sound of a name that made you stay away. No, even when he wasn't in disguise he didn't want to be bothered by those wretched laughing annoying peers. He looked into his reflection and looked at himself. He would not turn into his father, but he had characteristics he could not deny. No, he needed a name that would fit his new sense of self, and his new look on life. "Bobby Rotin. Robert Rotin. Ew, never his name! He was rotten." Then Bobby grinned. "Rotten. Bobby Rotten. No, Rob Rotten? No!" He laughed in a strange ecstacy. "Robbie Rotten!" He danced around and looked back at his reflection. "I am Robbie Rotten! I will not rest until Lazytown is lazy forever!"

* * *

Less than a year later, Robbie got the surprise of his life as he stared out his periscope. He rushed to the surface in disbelief. What was he doing here?! "Sportacus?!"

Sportacus turned around and smiled at his dear old friend. "Bobby? Rotin? Wow!" He laughed and held out his hand. "Good to see you. Where's your hat?"

Robbie looked at the hand gesture in disgust. "What are you doing here?!"

"I am training to be a hero." Sportacus fiddled with his feet. "I guess shortly after you left, I felt guilty about what happened. I wasn't trained enough to know anything. If I had heard your voice I would know, but I heard scuffles. Nevertheless, I've found my calling! In a few years I'll be a hero and save people in an airship."

"..." Robbie wasn't pleased. "Go away."

Sportacus sighed. His old friend still hadn't changed. Would that horrible experience push Bobby away from people forever? "I just came to say I will be watching this area. See that mailbox over there?" He gestured to a special mailbox with a handle. "You can use that anytime anyone has an emergency. Number nine will show up, and I'll be right beside him." He gestured to his training suit. "I'll be number 10 when I'm a hero. So you can call on me, and I'll never let you down again Bobby."

"It's Robbie now." Robbie corrected him. "This town does not need a hero, go away!"

Sportacus shrugged his shoulders. "Okay, I know you're upset. I will always be your friend still, no matter what. If you really want me to go though, I'll go. However." He held up his finger and smiled. "If anyone ever calls for help from here, I will come back." He patted his friends shoulder and watched him seize up. "I better go, number nine will be done soon. Good luck, Robbie!"

Robbie just sneered as he watched Sportacus take off. How in the world could they run into each other again? 'He will ruin everything. A superhero? I am making this town lazy, I don't need his meddling!' He quickly went home and fetched the biggest cork he could find. He went to the mailbox and plugged up the hole. "There! Now he will never return!" He laughed as he looked around.

The town was still quiet. Sportacus' visit had been too brief, luckily, to realize what was going on. "Never. Never will Sportacus mess anything up for me! Lazytown will always be lazy! If Sportacus ever comes back..." He rubbed his hands together evilly. "...then I will get rid of him forever!"

Perhaps Bobby Rotin would have become a great kid with a great career and a loving personality when he grew up. Maybe he would have gotten over his shyness and made more friends, even met a great woman along the way and had kids. Robbie Rotten though, would never do that. He didn't want a job, a future, or even one friend. His goal was to make everyone like him.

But maybe, just maybe deep down he thought if everyone was like him...

Maybe others would understand.

THE END

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